Stitch Welding

[YellowTurbo]

I am putting a 2l 16v engine in my nova after just putting the 1.6 16v in :twisted: ......do i have to stitch weld my engine cause i cant get no one to weld it for me

[fearless]

Advisable - but not neccesary.
Many conversions I've carried out have not been strengthen/welded - and have lasted many years without any chassis problems
Only recently have people recommended/insisted that it is neccesary to strengthen the engine bay - Many many years ago (approx 10 years ago) when I first carried out one of the first conversions of this type - no one strengthen the chassis - with no detriment to the engine conversion

My own car (one of the first) lasted it's life span (before corrosion took over - and it had to go into retirement) without any stress cracks!!!

If you can be bothered - then YES fit a strengthening kit/seam weld - there r noticable handling benefits from fitting such a kit - but the car can survive without such mods !!!

[Fester]

is it fair to say that with the age of the nova now welding is part and parcel or take each case on its merits?

[Steve Barker]

why not weld it yourself i started to create a nova 2.0 16v at christmas i had never done any welding before i bought a small mig welder for ?90 i fisrt set to work on some scrap metal for about a day, got the hang of the welder, then set to work, i had the eninge bay completely seam welded in a night. its not that hard you can get a haynes manual on car body work and welding before you start, remember dont be a fanny ! p.s. if you make a complete balls up get the grinder out " thats what they are for "

[YellowTurbo]

thanis for all that....where can i get a cheap mig welder?

[Stuart]

www.machinemart.co.uk i think lol

[mikeoxford]

halfords also.......

[Dicko]

dickosdodgymarkdowns.com

lol

[Ste_Nova]

mine was unwelded for 40k with no probs.... but now adays peeps are fitting 2.0 16v in cars that are more rotten... so some work is needed to bring them up to a better standard...

[Steve Barker]

try ebay website, make sure its a turbo ( has a fan ) and that it uses gas, if its smaller than a 90 dont bother becasue it wont melt into the thick metal, the welder i bought cost me ?90 second hand its a 95 i am using pub gas not ideal but alot cheaper,

the reason you use the gas to stop the oxgen geting at the weld if you dont have your gas on the weld will go porus ( be very weak and look crap ). you can get gas less migs that use flux coated wire not quite as good.

you need to make sure the metal you are welding is clean ie no rust or paint this can take a long time to remove it from the seams, if you try to weld rust you will hear lots of pops and bangs and the weld will look like cat shit. remember the weld will be hot so the other side of the material you are welding will be hot too if you are doing the back of the enigine bay rember the interior carpet will take light.

under the front chassis legs will need to be undersealed again to stop them from rusting.

dont set the welder to high you will burn through the metal

you will just need some practice if you need to ask anything drop me a email stevebarkeruk@hotmail.com good luck